We are not leaving Kapedo, says Ruto

November 8, 2014 12:53 pm

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By MARGARET WAHITO, Deputy President William Ruto with Ms, Tegla Loroupe the Patron of Tecla loroupe Peace Race during the 2014 edition of the peace race held in Kapengulia West porkot county on Saturday/DPPSNAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 8-The government says it will not abandon the security operation in Kapedo until all the culprits who killed police officers are arrested and punished.

Deputy President William Ruto says the government cannot just watch as cattle rustlers kill and steal cattle with impunity.

“We will continue the operation to get the culprits who killed our police officers. We must get them and make them to account,” he said.

He asked leaders in the affected region to advice the residents against killings and cattle rustling urging them to let their livestock farming be a blessing and not a curse.

“We will not relent in our pursuit of the cattle rustlers who killed our security officers,” the Deputy President said.

However, he urged the officers undertaking the operation to recover guns and arrest the culprits not to harass innocent people.

Ruto was addressing residents of Pokot who had gathered in Makutano stadium to witness this year’s Tegla Lorupe peace race in Kapenguria town.

The region, he said, was best known across the country for cattle rustling and killings when the country was moving forward.

“The rest of Kenya is busy in healthy competition, expanding markets, building industries, asking for more electricity at cheaper rates yet in this region, the competition is cattle rustling,” he said.

Ruto said the government will ensure development like other counties now that the county had its own allocation.

He thanked Tegla as an ambassador for peace and for using her own recourses to promote the peaceful coexistence of the various communities in the region and assured her of the Government’s unqualified support for all peace initiatives under her foundation.

The chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission Francis ole Kaparo called on Pokot leaders to mobilize the community to embrace peace and live with their neighbours peacefully.

“How do you benefit when your people are killed stealing other people’s cattle?” he asked.

MARGARET WAHITO Margaret has been a business reporter for the past four years. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Communications and Public Relations from Moi University. She also holds a diploma in Film and Video production from the Kenya institute of Mass Communications. Apart from journalism, she has interest in community work, especially helping the disadvantaged.